Jennifer Murdley's Toad

Jennifer Murdley's Toad by Bruce Coville

Jennifer Murdley is plain. It would be politically incorrect to call her ugly, but we could probably get away with calling her homely. And she is well aware of the fact. She would do just about anything to be pretty; at least she thinks she would. In the book, we find out if it is true.

We had a Jennifer Murdley in our grade school. Her name was even Jennifer. I don’t know if I realized it at the time, but physically, she had nothing going for her. I don’t do this to be mean. It’s the truth. She was short and stocky. She had no neck. Her eyes were small and beady. I cannot recall a color and that is something that I tend to remember. Her hair was short and a dark auburn. If there was a style, it would be called feathered. Her mouth was small and unremarkable. Her nose was the most memorable thing on her face. She wasn’t a brain and she wasn’t dumb. She was neither athletic nor musical. Everything about her was average. I wonder what, if anything, distinguished her from the herd for our teachers. And I wonder what she did that brought her joy, or if she was just trying to survive.

I can say this without guilt because I am far removed from that time. And I know for a fact how I felt myself back then. I felt unremarkable. I felt plain. I felt unpopular. Long, stringy, mousy brown hair. Plain old, unfascinating brown eyes. Freckles all over my nose. Quiet and shy. Didn’t want to be noticed or singled-out. Still trying to find my place in the pecking order. I was never the new kid, and it seemed like the new kids had it all.

I still remember the first time that someone outside of my family said something to the effect that I was pretty. It was in 8th grade. We were making pizzas to sell to raise money for a youth trip to Washington D.C. A high school junior that I knew well enough, came to me and said, “My older brother says you’re going to be a knock out when you get older.” I know I was flabbergasted and beet-red from nose to toes. And now I really wonder what happened before that and what happened after that because it still seems so surreal. Why would she have told me that. Why would a college man, or maybe even a graduate have reason to say that. I’m certain they don’t even remember the circumstances. We all still belong to the same church, so I could ask, but I’m sure I’m the only one who remembers. It was that important to me. That someone knew who I was and thought that I could be pretty.

This book was uncomfortable for me because it hit so close to home. We all want to belong and we’re all fighting for our right to exist. But it is also a fairy tale where the princess doesn’t take center stage and she doesn’t even win. It is the underdog who is the heroine and for once she takes center stage and has the courage to fight back.

In a world where some of the most popular books are called Uglies and Pretties, I wonder who will want to read about a Toad. It’s a sweet book about 5th graders, but I wonder if it is already too late for them to benefit from the wisdom of this book …

Fallout

Fallout by Ellen Hopkins

A mother was in with her brood the other day. Specifically, I was at the library and they were visiting. We were all discussing good series. She mentioned that she liked to read the books first before her children did, but that she had a hard time keeping up. She is busy and their reading is voracious and she has several children with varied tastes. Her number one complaint was that some series will start out innocently, but by the later books, they will become slightly offensive. For example, if you like Harry Potter and are not opposed to magic and kissing, you think you are fine. And then you read the last book and Ron is "effing" all over the placing. This would be comparable to "darning" or "goshing" everywhere only much less acceptable. Perhaps Rowling would have done better by having Ron say "freaking" or "frigging" or "frilling" instead.


I read Crank and Glass and although they cover serious topics that are sometimes hard for parents to discuss with their children, I did not find them overly graphic. I even suggested that they might be good books to read with your teen especially when covering the topics of drugs and sex. Even a good girl can crash. And. Boys will say the darndest things to get what they want.

Fallout completes the trilogy. Although I had the opportunity to read them one after the other, it would appear that the third book was long waited for. Perhaps here is an explanation. Fallout occurs 19 years after Glass and it follows the lives of Kristina's oldest three children. We no longer get to see Kristina's view point. We no longer identify with her or feel sorry for her. No, now we observe from the view points of Hunter, Autumn and Summer. We get to see the mother that they hate because she doesn't act like a mother should.

Hunter was born at the end of the first book and was later adopted by Kristina's parents, Hunter's grandparents. He has a good life. His mother/grandmother is a famous author and they are well-off. He is in college and he holds a job. He has never met his father although he is aware of the circumstances of his coming into existence – rape.

Autumn was conceived at the end of Glass. She is Trey's daughter. Her parents were married briefly. When they were both incarcerated, she was taken by her Aunt Cora, Trey's sister, and her grandfather, Trey and Cora's father. Autumn knows very little about her biological mother.

Summer is the product of yet another man. The very man that broke up Kristina and Trey. Summer has lived in various foster homes, but soon ends up yet again with her alcoholic, druggy father and one of his many live-in girlfriends. Summer has had some contact with her mother.

I cannot help but share. Kristina has two more sons born of a fourth man, an abusive man. During this book, the boys move in with Hunter and his "parents" while Kristina tries to break ties with their father, kinda, maybe, sorta.

For me, having three different viewpoints, while the book may not be any more graphic than the first two, I tend to find it more offensive on the whole. Sex, drugs and alcohol times three.

I get the point. Meth addiction affects everyone and generations of a family. It is far-reaching and ugly. But this book was too much, even for me.

My Side of the Mountain

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

Here is a book that I should have read a long time ago. I knew this too. I am not saying this after the fact. It has been on my list forever. I just kept pushing it further and further down. Why is that?

The subject matter does not attract me. I am not the kind of girl who likes to camp out. I don't think of that as any kind of vacation. Not that I wouldn't enjoy it once I was out there roughing it, because I have. It's just not something I think about doing.

I checked out the trilogy copy as opposed to the individual titles. 600 pages of book is more daunting than three 200 page books. I even had to convince myself that I didn't have to read it straight through. I am a nut!

The cover is not all that exciting. It is the truth. It is just not colorful enough for me.
It received a Newbery Honor in 1960. I will leave it at that. I am not going to call it old.

I just wasn't chomping at the bit to read it. Everything else on my shelf looked more exciting. And I have not been reading as voraciously as I am accustomed to. I think I am getting tired.

Ms. George has refreshed me. Her book pleased me. The book soothed me. It sang a little song to my soul. And it gave me hope. I don't know if I can explain it.

Every child wants to run away. Some get as far as the street corner. Some can stay away as long as a day. The majority only imagine attempts.

Sam is different. He means what he says and he says what he means. He is prepared for the task. He has been educated for accomplishment. None of the adults believe him nor do they believe in him. Well, except for the librarian. I think some of us librarians must be children who never grew up. We don't want to. And we live vicariously through our books and the children who read and enjoy them.

Sam pays attention to details. He learns to distinguish between the different birds and animals. He recognizes the different poses of his falcon so he is alerted to danger and the different types of danger that await him. He remembers what he has seen, read, heard. He knows what plants he can eat and which parts to avoid.

Sam is an artist extraordinaire. He hunts, designing his own traps and baits. He fishes, developing the best ways and times and tools. He cooks, experimenting with the fruit of the land. He makes his own clothes, designing for comfort, functionality and warmth. He makes up songs. He keeps a journal. He is multitalented. He recognizes what needs to be done and then does it. Sam is a Liberal Arts Major!

My favorite part is that he is a good host. He welcomes others to his home. He provides for them. He serves them. He treats them like royalty, giving them the best he has. He gives up his own bed and tree to make room for them. He relishes the opportunity to give them his finest.

And the best part. He recognizes that he is lonely. He recognizes that he misses people. And he is willing to quit. I could learn from him. I never know when to quit. As if I must always prove myself even when I already have.

I think Sam was meant to teach me something. I'm missing out on life and beauty. I'm too wired. Too connected without be connected at all. It's time for a change. Don't think I can disappear for a year …

The Lost Hero

      The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

      Talk about the dumbing down of a nation. Do we even edit anymore? I am not talking about misspelled words either. I am talking about missing words. Important words like helping verbs. Once upon a time, when I was in grade school, I remember a teacher explaining to the class how an author might "mark" their work to protect it until it had received its copyright. They would use a single error on a given page. We are not talking about a single error here. We are talking about so many errors, that I could not forgive them. Terrible, terrible editting! No book needs to be rushed to print so fast. I am embarrassed for them.

However, I loved the book anyway.

The missing words were quite jilting. Some people might have read right through them. It is certainly possible to be that inattentive. I happen to pay attention to detail. I am very detail-oriented. And it drove me mad. I’m mad. You’re mad. We’re all mad here.

But I loved the book anyway.

What fabulous ideas, Riordan has. I do not know if they are uniquely his. I do not believe I have read anything like this before. I am certainly not as well-versed in adult literature.

In the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, demigods are born of the union between a Greek god – Zeus, Poseidon, Aphrodite – and a mortal. The Greek gods still live on Mount Olympus, but it has traveled with Democracy from Greece to America. They are well-educated and philosophical.

In the Heroes of Olympus series, a new kind of demigod is introduced. The newest hero is Jason and he turns out to be the son of a Roman god. But if you will remember, the Romans adored Greek culture and they took the Grecian gods and made them their own, but called them by Roman names – Jupiter, Neptune, Venus.

BUT THEY ARE STILL THE SAME GODS. The king of the gods is still Zeus/Jupiter. He is still the king of the sky. It is the same “person” only now they display some new characteristics. The Romans were soldiers. They built an empire. They assimilated the peoples from the surrounding countries including the Greeks. So the modern day Romanesque gods are a little more war-like. Yeah, just great!

Which leads to a problem. The Roman demigods and the Greek demigods, historically, do NOT get along. In fact, it is suggested that many if not all revolutions and civil wars can be attributed to their struggle.

So why were we not aware of this? The two “camps” have been separated for their own protection. Very, very cool. What’s better than one camp full of demigods lead by a centaur? Two camps full of demigods lead by unusual teachers.

Another idea that I simply relish: These gods are pretty amazing, bordering upon God-like. What do I mean? They are not God. Riordan does not make them out to be God. They are not perfect. They are not all-powerful. They are not all-knowing. They can be manipulated and used. They have tempers and conflicts. They play favorites.
BUT! They are gods all the same. They are too big for us to fathom. They cannot be contained. They can be many things all at once. They can be many places all at once. They can be both nurturing and destructive. And when they are in their full glory, they can kill you merely by their presence. I truly enjoyed Riordan’s descriptions of these gods and goddesses. They helped me to come to a better understanding of my God and a better appreciation of His Goodness and Mercy.